Pesticides and Food:
Health Problems Pesticides May Pose

Laboratory studies show that pesticides
can cause health problems, such as birth defects, nerve damage, cancer,
and other effects that might occur over a long period of time. However,
these effects depend on how toxic the pesticide is and how much of it
is consumed. Some pesticides also pose unique health
risks to children.

For these reasons, the Federal Government,
in cooperation with the States, carefully regulates pesticides to ensure
that their use does not pose unreasonable risks to human health or the
environment. In particular, the Federal pesticide program is designed
to ensure that these products can be used with a reasonable certainty
that they will pose no harm to infants, children, and adults.

For further information on
health and environmental risks from pesticides:

Registration and
chemical-specific information - Through this page, EPA has numerous
documents providing detailed information about pesticides, such as their
toxicity, use patterrns, and registration status. However, not all pesticides
are currently featured on the Website.

Citizen's
Guide to Pest Control and Pesticide Safety - understanding control
of household pests; alternatives to chemical pesticides; how to reduce
exposure; how to handle an emergency; how to choose a pest control company;
and address lists of EPA Regional Offices and State Pesticide Agencies